Objective: Control more territory than your opponent by surrounding empty intersections with your stones.

Players: Two players - Black and White. Black always moves first.

Board: The game is played on a grid of 19×19 lines (beginners often start with 9×9 or 13×13). Stones are placed on the intersections, not in the squares.

Turns: Players alternate placing one stone per turn. Once placed, stones don't move (but can be captured and removed).

1. Liberties

Every stone needs liberties (empty adjacent intersections) to survive. Liberties are counted along the grid lines (up, down, left, right - not diagonal).

2. The Rule of Capture

When you surround an opponent's stone(s) and remove all their liberties, those stones are captured and removed from the board.

3. The Ko Rule

You cannot make a move that returns the board to the exact same position as your previous turn. This prevents infinite loops.

4. Suicide is Forbidden

You cannot place a stone that would have zero liberties, unless doing so captures opponent stones.

To capture enemy stones, you must occupy ALL of their liberties. Connected stones of the same color share liberties and are captured together as a group.

Atari

When a stone or group has only one liberty remaining, it's in "atari" (danger of being captured). The opponent can capture it on their next move.

Connected Groups

Stones of the same color that are adjacent (horizontally or vertically) form a group. They live or die together!

What is Territory?

Territory consists of empty intersections that are completely surrounded by your stones. You score 1 point for each intersection of territory.

End of Game

The game ends when both players pass consecutively (no more useful moves). Then territory is counted.

Scoring (Area Scoring)

• Your stones on the board: 1 point each
• Your territory (empty points you surround): 1 point each
• Komi: White receives 6.5 bonus points to compensate for Black's first-move advantage

Winner

The player with the higher total score wins!

Opening Principles

• Corners first: Corners are easiest to secure territory (only 2 sides to defend)
• Then sides: Sides need 3 sides defended
• Center last: Center territory requires surrounding on all 4 sides

Key Concepts

• Influence: Stones project power across the board
• Shape: Good shapes are efficient; bad shapes waste moves
• Eyes: Groups need two "eyes" (internal liberties) to be permanently safe
• Sente: Having the initiative - forcing your opponent to respond